The household of a Washington, D.C. trainer and cousin of a Black Lives Matter founder who died after being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun by police has filed a $50 million declare for damages towards town of Los Angeles.
Keenan Anderson, 31, died of cardiac arrest in a hospital hours after a battle with Los Angeles Police Division officers who had been pursuing him after a automotive crash on Jan. 3, police have mentioned. Anderson was shocked six occasions with a Taser in lower than a minute.
“Because of this illegal assault and battery, Mr. Anderson sustains critical harm and damages to his thoughts and physique,” the declare reads.
Civil rights attorneys Carl Douglas and Ben Crump filed the declare on behalf of Anderson’s 5-year-old son.
What occurred to Keenan Anderson?
Police have mentioned Anderson initially complied with officers’ orders as they investigated a automotive collision and whether or not Anderson was underneath the affect of medicine or alcohol. He later fled and was chased by officers, then resisted once they tried to detain him, in accordance with Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore.
Officers then used a stun gun to subdue him. He was taken to a hospital, the place he died greater than 4 hours later. A preliminary toxicology report from police discovered cocaine and hashish in Anderson’s physique, in accordance with Moore, and a coroner’s toxicology report can even be carried out.
“It is unclear what function the bodily battle with the officers and using the Taser performed in his unlucky demise,” Moore mentioned.
Moore mentioned there is not a restrict to what number of occasions officers can use a Taser on somebody, however it’s best apply to keep away from repeated use to keep away from injuring the individual they’re attempting to restrain.
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“In the event you Taser somebody with 50,000 watts {of electrical} power six occasions within the coronary heart, is there actually any surprise that moments later, his coronary heart will start to flutter?” Douglas mentioned on the press convention. “Is there any surprise why 4 hours later, his coronary heart might now not stand up to the strain from that Taser and provides out, leaving a 5-year-old boy in his wake?”
A spokesperson for the LAPD declined to touch upon the declare, telling USA TODAY on Friday the division doesn’t touch upon pending litigation.
Bodycam video reveals Anderson being shocked by Taser
Black Lives Matter supporters have protested exterior LAPD headquarters within the wake of Anderson’s demise, which they see as one other instance of a Black man dying resulting from police misconduct.
Physique digital camera and bystander cellphone video launched of Anderson’s interplay with police confirmed him calling for assist, and at one level an officer had his elbow pressed into Anderson’s neck whereas Anderson was on his again on the pavement.
“They’re attempting to kill me,” Anderson mentioned. “They’re attempting to George Floyd me.”
Officers tried to get Anderson to show onto his abdomen so they may handcuff him whereas Anderson resisted, the video reveals.
“Cease it, or I’ll tase you,” an officer mentioned repeatedly. Anderson was then repeatedly shocked by the Taser.
“My son goes to see that at some point, and I do not understand how I’ll reply any of his questions, now or sooner or later,” Hansell mentioned. “We’re right here to get justice for Keenan and within the course of we hope to evoke change in order that shifting ahead my son does not need to dwell his life in concern of at some point what occurred to his dad could occur to him.”
LAPD used ‘unreasonable lethal drive,’ declare alleges
Anderson’s 5-year-old son Syncere Kai Anderson, his mom Gabrielle Hansell and their attorneys introduced the declare at a press convention on Friday. Anderson was associated to Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors.
The declare alleges that LAPD did not correctly practice its officers to detain somebody with out utilizing “unreasonable lethal drive” or that officers did not implement their coaching.
It additionally claims the officers concerned had no cause to consider Anderson posed a menace and had been unjustified in utilizing a Taser on him. Attorneys for the household additionally mentioned within the declare they consider officers’ implicit bias towards Anderson as a Black man contributed to their view of him as a menace.
“The officers’ use of unreasonable drive underneath these circumstances was deliberately malicious, oppressive, and despicable, and/or with a deliberate indifference to Mr. Anderson’s rights and security,” the compaint says.
The declare filed Friday was required earlier than the attorneys can file a lawsuit for wrongful demise and civil rights violations towards town and the officers concerned, which Douglas mentioned they intend to pursue.
The officers haven’t been named.
Contributing: N’dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY
